Director Marty DiBergi (Rob Reiner) chronicles the British band Spinal Tap during their comeback/farewell tour in America. The film provides an intimate look at the band members, focusing on David St. Hubbins (Michael McKean), Nigel Tufnel (Christopher Guest), and Derek Smalls (Harry Shearer).
This is Spinal Tap possesses the visual and auditory qualities of a documentary, creating a remarkably convincing illusion, despite its entirely fictional narrative. The band members, portrayed by American actors, convincingly embody their roles as British musicians. Rob Reiner himself stars as Marty DiBergi, the “mockumentary” director who guides the audience through the band’s history and unique musical style. The film explores the band’s past successes and the numerous unfortunate incidents involving their various drummers. Despite a high turnover of approximately thirty band members over the years, they persevere. This is Spinal Tap follows their journey through a series of setbacks, establishing itself as a uniquely humorous and entertaining cinematic experience.
Many viewers have been convinced that This is Spinal Tap is an authentic documentary about a real band. This perception is understandable, given that the actors in Spinal Tap genuinely play their instruments and sing, creating a sense of realism. Furthermore, the band has made appearances and performed comeback shows at various festivals well into the 2000s, blurring the lines between fiction and reality.
The now-common expression of turning something “up to 11” originates from this film, where a band member enthusiastically explains their superior volume capabilities due to amplifiers that reach 11, surpassing the standard maximum of ten. A particularly memorable sequence involves a misunderstanding regarding feet and inches, resulting in the procurement of a miniature Stonehenge prop for a stage performance. This is Spinal Tap maintains a consistent pace, with its humor rooted in the absurd. Reportedly, Ozzy Osborne remained unamused, believing it to be a genuine documentary, a testament to the film’s accurate portrayal of aspects of the rock and roll lifestyle.
Studio S Entertainment has released a comprehensive edition, aptly titled “Up to 11,” comprising over four hours of supplementary material spread across two discs. This collection includes virtually everything created about Spinal Tap, including their 1992 comeback performance. The wealth of content provides ample opportunity to delve deeper into the world of Spinal Tap. While some of the additional content may not match the film’s pristine quality, it remains of a high standard overall.
The picture quality on the Blu-ray edition is sharp and clear, representing the expected visual fidelity for a film of its age. Colors are vibrant, and black levels are consistent. The audio presentation is even more impressive, offered in both Dolby 5.1 and DTS 5.1 formats. The music is expertly mixed, and the concert scenes effectively utilize home theater systems.
In conclusion, this is a definitive edition of a remarkably humorous and well-crafted film, easily earning a must-have recommendation. The only minor drawback is the absence of subtitles for the bonus material; however, given that the content is entirely in English, this issue is negligible.
